How about if it didn't seem so evil while you were saying it? You were just "sharing." Maybe it was just a tad bit of complaining about how poorly you have been treated by your husband this week and you just need to tell someone all about it....every detail! Or maybe your children have been ungrateful this week and you just need to tell someone who will sympathize with you.

Could this be considered gossip? Are you slandering your own family? Are you tearing down your own house? Will the person you're talking to possibly look upon your husband and children differently the next time they see them?

>"Oh my, there goes Sally's husband. You know he does look kind of mean....I could see how he could have said that to her. Poor Sally....having to be married to such a brute!!!! And look at her daughter! She didn't even offer to help her mother with the diaper bag! What unhelpful and ungrateful children she has....after all she's done for them!">

Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. James 3:5-6>

(Obviously there is a time to seek counsel in how to handle child training issues, but always examine what you will say carefully before you say it. We must not slander our children.)When we speak to others of our husbands there should be a joy in the tone of our voice. The respect that we have for him (or his position as the head) should be obvious in every word we speak. If his name is mentioned when conversing with friends, we should purpose to only discuss his strengths.>

What is interesting about this is that when we gossip about our husbands, not only are we sinning and also causing the listener to sin and take up an offense against our husband, but we are actually convincing ourselves of how truly awful our husbands are. We are reinforcing his weaknesses in our minds and we start to "see him" differently. We find it difficult to respect him and can actually become embittered by our own words against him.>

On the other hand, when we make a habit of praising him and always speaking highly of him to others, even "bragging" about him sometimes (in a humble way of course!), then we are reinforcing our respect for him. We not only honor him in someone else's presence, but we cause ourselves and our children to think better of him. His value to the family increases and his reputation is strengthened as well. It's much easier to submit to a husband who we are in the habit of honoring, than one who we're used to bashing behind his back.>

Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands Proverbs 14:1>

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. Proverbs 31:26>

This Week's Challenge:

>

You guessed it! Make praising your husband a habit this week! Purpose to praise your husband to at least 10 people. Let them know about his good qualities. Let them see your love and respect for him in your words and the tone of your voice. Pray and ask God to reveal all those wonderful qualities that may have been hidden by neglect or even bitterness. Yes, your children count! Brag about their daddy to them. They'll love it and heartily agree with you! They may even repeat it to him when he gets home!>

"You know, mommy says you're the best daddy in the whole world! She's been talking about you all day long" Wouldn't that be a wonderful welcome home for any husband? To know his wife has been praising him to his children? Be sure to write in and give testimony of your results. mcmom@patriarchspath.org I'm excited about getting started on this one!>

Be sure to write in the comment section testimony of your resulst.

>

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. Proverbs 31:11-12>

My Shelfari Bookshelf

My New Favorite Poem

The Wreckers of Homes

The Prince of the legions of darkness was sitting ensconced on his teetering throne,Awaiting an army of specialized demons whose job was the wrecking of homes.They were due to report on the war they had waged, and soon they came canteringhither;From the four winds they came, the demons and imps, from yon and afar and fromthither.“Report!” barked the Prince. One by one they came forward-and told of the homesthey had wrecked, wantonly, shamelessly splitting them up with a pitiless,morbid effect.“I drove the wedges,” said Jealousy slyly, a shriveled black imp with a glare,“I invaded their thoughts with satanical skill. It’s a cinch when I break up a pair.”: Oh, yeah!” sneered Mistrust, “I am far more effective. I sit on their shoulders andwhisper.I perch there, for instance, and say to the wife, “He’s a teller of tales, is your mister.”Next I say he’s a liar, then say he’s unfaithful, then I say: “You just watch him a bit,”And before very long she sees all kinds of things, And I prod her to tell him ‘I quit.’”“Ha! You are not half as successful as I!” Infidelity said with a grin,“You are merely a Doubt, but I am The Deed, I’ve got medals to prove that I win.”“Ho, ho!” laughed Old Alcohol, veteran demon, “You’d seldom have won but for me!I take special delight in breaking up homes,” he chuckled with hideous glee.Up piped an imp, Carnal Courtship by name, “If it were not for me...” (and he cackled)“If I had not got them all started off wrong, you big shots would feel mightyshackled.”Boredom and Laziness, Incident Nagger and Cruelty all took their turn.Spite made a hit, and Hatred another, with tales that would make your ears burn.“Did you get them ALL?” roared the Prince from his throne. They were allshamefaced, and suddenly still. They shriveled in silence and trembled withterror, appearing dejected and ill.“Report!” the Prince thundered. “What have you to say?” One quivered, “You simplydon’t knowWhat it’s like in some homes. We are demons of darkness and simply can’t getthrough The Glow.”“What glow?” screamed the Ruler. “We don’t know just what,” said the imp with atremulous grin,For one thing, they start off the day with a prayer – and that kind, well, it’s hard to getin.”“Pshaw!” said the Prince. “It is true,” countered jealousy. “O you don’t know howI’ve tried.I have pounded their ears. I have battered their brains, but I had to get out e’re I died.The moment I come to the husband or wife they call on the One – you know Who –And He comes, and I haven’t a chance in the world! In that case, Prince, just whatwould you do?”“And I, sir,” said Hatred, “have neither a chance, not a ghost of a chance I say,When a fool keeps whispering to his wife, ‘I love you more every day!’”“You can’t say that I haven’t tried,” pouted anger. “Sometimes I’ll even get in;And just when I think I am winning the battle, they jump up and call me a sin.”“I,” said Old Laziness, lolling around, “If Hatred can’t do it, why bother!For with Love in the way, those husbands and wives do nothing but slave for eachother.”“And I,” mumbled Boredom, “I know Who’s at fault, it’s that FOE Who again isalive!They sing about Him and they talk about Him, and I haven’t a chance to survive.”Carnal Courtship crouched low so the prince of the ranks would forget that he evenwas there.He spied him in spite of it. “Carnal,” Prince roared, “Why did you not tempt everypair?”“I tried!” quivered Carnal, “but what can you do? Some won’t even bite. Somerepent,And the Enemy comes and He chases you out; and, sir, when HE sends, you areSENT!”“Are there many homes left where we haven’t a foothold?” the prince of thespecialists queried.“Quite a few,” sighed the imps. “They are simply impervious. They have left us allweakened and wearied. Those marriages last, O twenty-five years! It’s acinch that they last for life.They get harder and harder and harder to wreck – those homes where the husband andwifeHave Yahushua at the head, and they all pray together, are submissive and loving and true:And frankly, we’ll tell you, to break up that kind is more than we demons can do!”